


Forest Paths

by Kalira



Category: Naruto
Genre: Anbu Hyuuga Neji, Chases, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, NejiHina Week 2019, playful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 16:00:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21760831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: Neji is on his way home from an ANBU training exercise when he finds himself drawn impulsively off course.
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Hyuuga Neji
Comments: 4
Kudos: 65
Collections: Kalira's NejiHina Week Stories (2019)





	Forest Paths

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day 3 of [NejiHina Week](https://nejihinata.tumblr.com/post/189003270002): Paths

Hinata hesitated, then took a step back, eyeing what proved to be the splash of colour of some kind of flower. She moved around the bush she had half denuded of berries and knelt among the flowers, nimble fingers plucking a few of the larger blooms.

Neji moved closer, choosing his leaps carefully between branches and keeping silent.

Hinata rose after a few minutes, dusting off her fingers and retreating past the bushes again, passing between them with graceful surety, not getting caught on any of the reaching brambles. Neji trailed after her in the canopy as she walked, her path known only to herself but easy enough to follow.

Neji had been out on a training exercise, meant to bring the two new members of his squad into form with himself and the one remaining member - ANBU had high turnover; at least Torukun had chosen to leave, though they had lost Aden to a mission. Neji had sent them on ahead back to the village, and he had intended to head in as well, but. . .

Neji’s eyes followed Hinata as she walked peacefully through the forest, and he continued to shadow her, unable to resist.

Hinata hummed to herself as she knelt again, this time amidst some cheerful yellow flowers, fingers dancing over their petals. Neji sighed silently, folding his legs and simply watching her. It was a moment of peaceful calm he treasured dearly.

Hinata suddenly _bolted_ , straight from her place on the ground, and caught halfway in a doze, Neji moved to give chase before he even had a moment for thought.

Crossing over rather than following winding forest paths, they made it some distance in the first few moments before Neji realised what he was doing and winced. Hinata laughed ahead of him, and he startled, activating Byakugan for a moment to see her glancing back almost playfully for him. He let Byakugan go and hurried to keep after her.

Well aware there was little point to hiding from a hunter with the Byakugan, Hinata focused on moving fast, not on concealing her path or finding a place to lie low.

She _was_ fast, but Neji was no slouch either, even after his days out here working to break in his two new subordinates. Nevertheless, Hinata led him a merry chase through the forest, between trees and up amongst their branches, back down, across a river and _through_ a waterfall - which Neji hadn’t quite been expecting and soaked his hair, though he was through it too quickly to get anything else very wet - winding at the oddest moments and then cutting straight through or across obstacles.

Neji was having _fun_ , he thought, smothering a laugh as he leapt directly off the edge of a short bluff, landing with a light spring and throwing himself immediately onwards into continued pursuit. Hinata’s own laughter floated back to him again and his heart felt light.

Even with the looping and doubling back, by the time Neji was beginning to catch up to Hinata she had led him considerably further away from Konoha. Not that he could particularly bring himself to care.

Hinata was still only just ahead of him, perhaps with less of a lead than she had begun, but with enough that she _could_ still widen it and make his pursuit more difficult - she was certainly not yet flagging from weariness.

She wasn’t trying to lose him, however.

Neji reached the edge of a glade just as Hinata was about to clear the far side, looking back from the treeline. He leapt out of the trees and dove towards her, and Hinata met his eyes, smiled, then darted sideways rather than continuing onwards.

Neji twisted to follow, and Hinata laughed, dropping her basket and leaping up to bounce, feet first, off the trunk of one of the trees surrounding the little glade.

Neji reversed direction and threw himself after her, and they tumbled to the thick undergrowth together, tangled up and warm from the run as they rolled over and over.

“Got me.” Hinata said softly, just a little breathless beneath him, and brushed her fingertips over Neji’s cheek. His breath caught, then he drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, nestling into her hand. “Tiring trip?” she asked.

Neji hummed. “Busy.” he said, and shook his head a little. “How were things in the village?”

Hinata shrugged, winding a lock of his hair around her fingers and rubbing his cheekbone with her thumb. “Do you really want to hear the news now?” she asked, her eyes on his, a soft smile playing around her lips.

Neji hesitated. “No.” he admitted, shifting his weight. Hinata was snugly caught against his body, but she pulled away just enough to let her hand trail down over his shoulder and trace lazy spirals on his chest. She tipped her head up and kissed his jaw lightly.

“So, now you have caught me, what _do_ you wish?” Hinata asked, voice low.

“ _You’re_ the one who teased me into chasing you.” Neji pointed out, squeezing her closer. “I only wanted-” he broke off.

“Yes?” Hinata prompted.

Neji sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, then opening them as he rested his brow against hers, meeting her gaze with barely any space between them. “I only wanted to watch you. To be around you.” he admitted quietly. “I. . . You’re,” he paused, “peaceful.”

Hinata’s eyes widened as she drew back a little, and then her entire expression softened. She brought her hand back up and stroked his hair, curling their bodies more closely together.

“I just wanted to . . . _see_ you. To be with you again.” Neji sighed. “It wasn’t a difficult mission.” he assured her as the corners of her eyes crinkled and her lips turned down. “I am frustrated, at worst.”

Hinata nodded, a bit of the tension in her face easing again. “Are you sorry I ran?” she asked, and Neji laughed, bowing his head to bring their brows together again, tightening his arm around her waist.

Neji kissed her gently, and Hinata made a soft sound of contentment, winding her arms around his neck.

“No.” Neji said as their lips parted.

“Good.” Hinata ran her fingers through his hair and tangled their legs together a little more. “Well you have me now,” she said, smiling, and tilted her head to kiss his cheek, lingering with her lips against his skin, “do you want to stay here for a while before we go back to the village?”

Neji hugged her close without answering verbally, closing his eyes, and Hinata laughed, a soft murmur. She kissed his cheek again and shifted in his arms, pulling Neji lightly to rest against her and combing her fingers through his hair in light, easy strokes.

“As long as you like.” Hinata said quietly, and Neji thought impulsively that he could stay right here forever, if only they didn’t have responsibilities to return to at home.

Still. . .

A little longer, at least, Neji thought.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [Pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.io/Kalira) or [Dreamwidth](https://kalira.dreamwidth.org)!


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